How long does it take for IGM wounds to heal?

[MargaretAnn1977]

My oldest "wound" (an incision from my first large abscess) is probably 4 or 5 months old. We assumed it was staying open because I was breastfeeding (and the milk just came out of the incisions), but now that I'm pretty sure I have IGM, I see that slow wound healing seems to be a hallmark of the process (note: I'm no longer breastfeeding). Does anyone have wounds that have never gone away? I'm particularly anxious about a hole left in my skin from a recent burst abscess. It seems fragile and like it has a lot of potential to tear further, but my surgeon seems kind of unconcerned about it.

[Amy669]

Yes - the wound in the shower problem.  When my wound was not so large, I used to just grit my teeth and get through the shower.  As the wound doubled its size because of the second boil, I could not longer bear it.  I was screaming in the shower.  I switched to keeping my jogging bra on with all the gauze and everything in the shower.  After, I would fix myself up with another bra, gauze and honey to get through the next 24  hours.  
I would be a little reluctant to put the clay on top of a large open wound.  On the other hand, I have been using it over a small open wound and the breast has gotten a little better.  In my case, my body seems to make more puss as the puss drains, so the wound is always at equilibrium and never heals.  
I am going to the rheumatologist next week.  I have not seen him for three months.  He knows nothing about the clay.  I can't imagine what he'll say.

[JoJo45]

I did something different than most in the management of my abcesses.  As soon as I saw a shadow on my skin, and knew that there was something starting, I would be seen on a emergency basis at the breast centre, and have the abcess drained by needle by a radiologist, under the guidance of ultrasound.  They worked extremely carefully so as to not disturb my breast and cause further inflammation.  When I had these drainings along, with very strong antibiotic therapy coincidentally, I would stop the formation of an open, draining wound.  On a couple of occassions, where I did not have access to have this prophylatic draining done, I had a sinus break through the skin, and the draining took many weeks to heal...had to bandage, etc. and am left with scarring.

I would highly recommend VERY GENTLY draining these before they break through, if you are able to access that level of care.  I also did bouts of prednisone, but had a not great tolerance, although I must say I do believe at some level it settled the inflammation in my breast down.

Jo

[MargaretAnn1977]

Hi Amy,

I read your comments about the clay a few days ago (frankly, I read about half the posts on the forum after I found it--this has been such a mystery for me until recently). That definitely sounds like something I'd like to try. And thanks for sharing your "gloomy experience" (that phrase made me laugh, though I know there's nothing funny about any of this). I'm not cheered, but it helps to know what other people have experienced.

I've had my wounds covered by gauze, Lasinoh breast pads (super absorbent, like diapers) or both since this all started (coming up on six months). I can't imagine not wearing all that stuff anymore, which makes me sad. I'm even sort of nervous about showering with the "hole", since there's nothing to stop the water from simply pouring in. It's honestly the weirdest part (lately) about what I'm experiencing.

I feel like I keep saying this, but it never stops being true: it's so good to be able to compare stories and hear what has worked (and not worked) with this condition. At one point, I had 3 experienced midwives, 1 lactation consultant, 1 naturopath, 2 surgeons and basically everyone who heard anything about this condition stumped. It was a breast specialist who finally diagnosed me, though my surgeon is still on the fence. In the meantime, I felt like a medical experiment :).

Take care, and thanks again,
Margaret Ann

[Amy669]

This is such an interesting question and one that I have obsessed over.  My experince may not be the same as others, of course. Toward the beginning of my disease, before I was being seen by a rheumatologist, I had an open wound that had been created by the breast surgeon's puncturing a boil and draining it to get a sample.  Later, another boil joined with the first one, burst and this created an even bigger hole (probably 3/4 in. long) which continually drained.  Worried, I tried googling "wounds that won't heal" and read about Manuka honey (medicinal honey).  I did use this stuff for a long time, next to the wound and covered by layers of gauze.  I never healed because the underlying autoimmune disease was not being treated.  What the honey did was that it made it possible to get through the day.  It took care of the pain caused by raw, messed up, tender skin rubbing against clothing.  I couldn't have survived without it.  It did nothing for the other kind of pain, the stabbing, shooting pains in the chest.  What would have happend if I could have walked around topless for days and days without the honey?  I never had the leisure to try that.  I have no idea.  But the wound just drained continually into the honey, continuing for a significant time even after I went on prednisone.  The wound healed, but only because of the drug.  Now I am off the drugs and self treating my last boil with calcium bentonite clay.  (I have written a lot about this in other posts.)  This one little puncture has been draining for about a month and a half and I believe it will never heal until the boil itself shrinks into nothing (if ever - it is shrinking VERY slowly).  That's my gloomy experience.

update on the clay: I am addicted to it!  The other day, I wanted to see if not using the clay for awhile could help the puncture to heal.  After 12 hours - OUCH!  The shooting pains were really frightening.  I put the clay back on and in 2 hours I was OK, my old self, pain free.